Life-preserver.



. Patented Feb. 6, I900. H. C. HILDEBRANDT.

LIFE PRESERVER. (Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

(No Model.)

nulllm" m mum by air forced thereinto.

Nrrnn STATES ATENTN Fries.

LlFE-PRESERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. $42,846, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed November 20,1899. Serial No. 737,549. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Beitknown that LHENRY O. HILDEBRANDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton City, in the county of Audrain and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompan yin g drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a life-preserver comprising a pair of inflatable air-receivers, a mouthpiece, and a connecting-tube joining the air-receivers, through means of which the receivers may be inflated.

It further relates to a harness attachment applied to the connecting-tube,through means of which the preserver is secured to the body of the wearer.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a perspective view of my improved life-preserver. Fig. II is a sectional View taken on the line II II, Fig. I, through the mouthpiece and the connecting-tube to which the mouthpiece is applied.

1 1 designate a pair of air-receivers, which may be of rubber or of any other suitable material rendered impervious to air or Water, the said receivers being designed to be inflated The receivers are joined by a connecting-tube 2, suitably secured at the ends to the receivers.

3 designates a mouthpiece applied to the connecting-tube at its inner end, the parts being secured in any suitable manner. Within the mouthpiece is a eheck-valve 4, the stem 5 of which is mounted in a spider 6 and is held to the valve-seat-S by a spring 7.

8 designates a screw that closes an outletopening 9 in the wall of the mouthpiece.

10 and 10 are arms receiving loops having eyes 11 fitted to the connecting-tube 2 and having applied thereto an adjustable strap 12.

In the practical use of this device the arms of the wearer are thrust through the loops 10 and 10, the right arm being passed through the loop 10 and the left arm through the loop 10. The strap 12 is then adjusted across the breast of the wearer, and the air-receivers,

being located in front of the shoulders, are

then inflated by the wearer placing the nipple of the mouthpiece 3 in;his mouth and blowing therethrough into the connecting-tube 2, in which action the check-valve 4 is unseated to allow the air to pass through the mouthpiece into the connecting-tube and to the airreceivers. The checkvalve automatically closes when the operator ceases to blow -into the mouthpiece, and the air is therefore retained in the receivers, rendering them in such condition that they will be buoyant in the water.

When it is desired to deflate the air-receivers, the screw 8 is removed and the air allowed to exhaust through the opening 9 in the mouthpiece.

13 designates cords secured to the arm-receiving loops 10 and 10 these cords being provided at their ends with spring-clasps 14, designed for use to secure womens clothing to the limbs when the preserver is worn by women. The clasps are intended to be secured to the limbs above or below the knees in order to hold the skirts thereto.

I claim as my invention-' 1. In a life-preserver, the combination of a pair of inflatable air-receivers, a connectingtube, a mouthpiece carried by said tube, armreceiving loops applied to said tube, and an adjustable strap carried by said loops, substantially as described.

2. In a'life-preserver, the combination of a pair of inflatable air-receivers, a connectingtube,a mouthpiece carried by said tube,ineans for attaching the device to the wearers body, a pair of cords attached to said tube, and a pair of spring-clasps secured to said cords, substantially as and for the purpose described.

HENRY O. HILDEBRANDT.

In presence of D. O. WRIGHT, JOHN M. HEROLD. 

